, 1887-03-17

hNiui HiouleHt, tutn- crisp Will lIOSt,
broke off sharply, crashing down with
her into a bank of snow. For n few
minutes, that seemed as many hours To
her, she lay with closed eyes, sick,
dizzy, blinded. Then, bruised and bleed
ing, she resumed her awful journey, reck-
less of pain or peril in her desperation,
needing only that each new fall brought
her nearer to the man she loved.
AS she leaped from the last crag down
to the snowy highway Darcy Breene's
lantern was just shining around the last
turning of the trail. She caught it from
him and hurled it upwards, its ~telltale
light vanishing within an extinguisher of
snow. Then, as, speechless with aston
ishment, lie stoad irresolutely, she seized
his hand and dragged him hastily towards
the town.
.'Th' night freight IL be passin' yer in
five minutes" she gasped, almost inco-
%herently. 1T alters slows just thar, by
tn junction. Fur Gods sake, fur life's
sake, board it. It's yer only chance!'
The schoolmaster drew himself up de-
family. He was a slim, blonde fellow,
with girlish eyes and coloring, but he had
Il manly spirit under his effeminate ex-
~ Il ulluelolOoQ Ill OuCc ludl utI
jealous suitor had been working upon
Sails fears with some threat of violence to
him. But if his heart beat moro quickly
at the thought, it was not from coward
ice. He put his arm around the trem-
bling girl and drew her to him. With a
stifled cry she broke away, urging him
forward with all her remaining strength.
A quarter of a mile up the mountain she
had caught the gleam OF a lantern.
"Bill's a-goin' ter kill YER" she cried.
Hes got his shooter. Wot kin yc do
agin him?'
Darcy's ~pantonymic answer was elo-
quent. He flung off his coat and began
to turn up his sleeves.
For one moment Sails heart despaired.
Then her woman's wit came to her aid.
Darcy" she pleaded, eye amt
a-goin' ter back out now-ye amt
amt refusin' ter kum-wi' me2'
With her?
The man started and caught up his
coat hurriedly. Those last two words
opened a vista not unpleasing to him, in
his passionate, selfish youth. He went a
few steps forward and then hesitated.
The little inherent good in his nature as
serted itself in this last moment. . ID.
"Sal," he said, ''do you know what
you are asking? II have not lone well
by you, but 1 never meant you-quite
such wrong-as this"
A great sob welled up from the girls
heart and strangled her. She put her
hands to her throat, wildly. Keener than
the bitter blast, sorer byfar than ~thewounds
from the icy ledge wa the stab of those
.-N~1. Il III ---k
TO marry her, never-not even when his
words were s%oftest, his eyes and heart
most warm! And this was the man for
whom she had just dared death-the
lover whom she would have saved at any
cost. The thought of Bi1l-poor, rough,
loyal Bill; of his love, honorable, manly,
steadfast, which she had bartered-for
this! A sudden bitter resentment took
possession of her-to vanish as she looked
upand met Darcy's soft blue eyes,. Poor,
goddess, untaught Sal! What chance had
she that love would not prove too strong
for her?
II love ye," she whispered. 1--WE can't
lever be free yer. Take me away,
Darcy-don't leave me yer-ter Bill"
Leave her to Bill All the passion, the
jealousy, the logged determination of
Darcy Breene's character, to carry
through at any cost whatever was most
opposed, was quickened by the words.
He put on his coat, and turned toward
the junction, his hesitation all but nomi-
nally at an end.
IL nave SO little money! he cried,
yieldingly.
"'Yer's mine; take it, take it! Ye kin
pay mo back emmy time"
She forced the purse Upon him, and
led him INCREASINGLY toward the frosty
tracks, glittering at the cross roads.
Blu my room-my thingsI cannot
leave SOL He stopped, resolutely, as a
sudden remembrance swept over him.
There is a picture" he said, a flush of
honest shame mounting redly to his brow
as he spoke; lit is under my pillow. l
don't mind my other traps, but-I-must
-have-that!'
The whistle of the engine sounded in
the distance.
Civ me tn keyl I'll git it fur yel''
the girl cried, recklessly. $50 on; III
foller; and mechanically he went for
ward, the binding snow yelling her from
his sight.
She shrank back against the white
rock and waited till the snort of the
coming engine could be distinguished
through the silence. Then she folded
her shawl about her, and sped towards
the tracks, in Darcy's footprints. He
looked at her inquiringly as she reached
him, painting, just as the long train
began to slow. and the engine pulled
past them.
1--WE got it, Git on-They're startin'."
she cried, as the last car, an emigrant
coach, neared them.
lie attempted to help her up, but she
pushed him before her, and jumped after
him. The wheels began to quicken.
darcy" she sobbed, ''kiss mel
There, on the icy platform, with the
wind sweeping around them, the snow
whirling in their faces, he opened his
arms and folded her in them, pressing a
hot kiss on her passionate, death white
face.
The next moment he was flung bac,.-
ward into the lighted car; the door closed
upon him. When he had leaped to his
feet and regained the platform, he was
alone, with the train racing along the
tracks at pitiless speed. And far behind,
by the tracks on the snowy roadside, alone
and defenseless in the ittfr night, stood
Sal Enderby, and her / cart in her a as
she held out her arms in a mute farewell
to the man her love had saved.
Ten minutes later she was in Darcy
- ---s-- L.. - sla